Pedestal terminals have been used for the last several decades to provide terminals for public utility service such as electric power supply and telecommunication systems. These pedestals are generally rectangular in cross section, although some are circular, and are mounted partly below grade and partly above grade. As the public will appreciate from seeing these pedestal terminals at various angular orientations across the landscape, it comes at no surprise that there is a difficulty in securing these pedestal terminals in a proper upright or vertical position because of poor backfilling after installation and/or freezing and ground heeving conditions. One advantage in these earth mounted terminals is that in some cases, depending upon the pedestal design, movement of the entering or exiting cables, conduits, and wiring, etc. at the bottom of these pedestals is fairly unrestricted in some cases and in part ameliorates the problem of conductor shifting relative to the pedestal itself.
Insofar as I am aware, however, the pedestal design has not been significantly incorporated into the commercial and residential outdoor circuit requirements market. One such residential pedestal called a xe2x80x9cGuard-End Postxe2x80x9d manufactured by Arlington of Scranton, Pa., is a plastic injection molded hollow post designed to supply power to a light fixture and other devices requiring electrical wiring and attempts to provide grounding on a xc2xd inch threaded pipe.
However, this particular design is only 19xc2xd inches in total height and projects beneath the soil only a few inches with an angular spike element. Thus, this Arlington design does not, in my opinion, provide the required stability, safety, and weatherproofness necessary for outdoor circuitry in the residential and commercial markets.
The following patents have been identified in a search of the present invention:
The Sargent, U.S. Pat. No. 1,986,122, shows a partition riser for interior use relating to underfloor wiring systems for establishing outlets in the partitions or walls of buildings. This riser includes a rectangular opening 27 for receptacles.
The Skubal, U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,668, shows a terminal pedestal for buried wiring systems in which a rectangular pedestal with a spike 7 extends a substantial distance below grade. This system is a terminal only system and thus merely connects incoming and outgoing wiring, ingressing and egressing at the base of the pedestal and is typical of the public utility type pedestals referred to above.
The Simon, U.S. Pat. No. 3,188,379, shows a weather-proof electrical installation pedestal for receptacles that utilize direct burial trench cable, which is buried at a depth at which the ground will freeze during the winter and occasionally result in a cable being pulled away from the devices which may be outlets such as lights and the like, as in the present invention. The Simon invention relates primarily to a pivoting hood and requires an elongated base 46 at the bottom of the pedestal that is difficult to install because of its large diameter. The side panel 23 also requires customization for the particular type of receptacle utilized.
The Phillips, U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,620, shows a terminal pedestal for underground wiring systems including an upwardly extending lamp 12 that has U-shaped clamps for holding the device on a buried tube 12.
The Mack, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,404,212, shows a terminal device for wire or cable facilities, particularly designed for public utilities, and it has a box-like structure mounted on a separate support post 28 with a pivoting axis panel as shown at 110. The Mack, et al. device is similar to the Skubal device above simply limited to a public utility terminal function, although Mack, et al. discuss the problem of ground heeving in the patent.
The Bunten, U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,452, assigned to Repco Products Corporation, shows a pedestal for electrical circuit components that are unshown in the drawings of the patent and includes a pivoting axis panel D that fits under a cap 51.
The Volk, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,427, shows a multiple sleeved flood protection pedestal for telecommunications equipment that appears conventional in configuration.
The Chandler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,616, shows an electrical controls enclosure that is circular in configuration and has an exterior mounted above-ground base 42.
The Marusinec, U.S. Pat. No. 5,783,775, shows a transformer door with a corrosion resistant bottom strip that also is adapted to be mounted above grade.
It is a primary object of the present invention to ameliorate the problems described above in pedestals adapted for outdoor circuits.
In accordance with the present invention, a pedestal is provided for outdoor electrical circuits including a vertically elongated rectangular housing having a substantial lower portion thereof mounted below grade and an integral upper portion projecting above grade. The lower portion has a lower opening for receiving conduits, cables or conductors without restriction. The upper portion has a rectangular opening for receiving selectively single or double gauged NEMA devices such as receptacles, switches, lights, etc. The area around the opening is drilled and tapped to standard NEMA specifications to easily mount the NEMA devices as well as cover plates, bezels and pivot cap covers. A long removable access cover panel fits under a peripheral rain deflector rib. This cover provides access to the wiring and to fasteners that mount the housing to a fixed abutment.
Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the pedestal is provided with a vertical divider, generally centrally in the pedestal interior, that divides the interior into a telecommunications section and an electric supply section. One-half of the opening in the upper section then receives the telecommunication device while the other receives an electric supply device, such as a receptacle.
At new installations where the pedestal is fixedly mounted to the side of a building post or pillar, conductors can be extended from or brought to the pedestal utilizing direct burial type conductors, or raceways, metallic or non-metallic conduits which will enclose and protect the conductors.
The lower opening of the pedestal can receive multiple conduit raceways with provisions for installing additional conduits or conductors in the future and to readily service an existing installation.
The present pedestal can also be utilized to rebuild and repair deteriorating existing installations of raceway cables or boxes that do not have adequate protection from damages. The pedestal can be fitted over the top and properly secured and grounded in the conductors easily reconnected to their devices mounted in the upper pedestal opening.
According to the present invention, the pedestals provide protection of the installations from stresses because of the gradual soil erosion that always occurs around the adjoining foundation walls over time or other excavations when outdoor circuits are installed. Also in areas where freezing and thawing cycles are encountered, the open bottom portion of the pedestal allows cables or conduits to rise or fall without stress to the cables because they are not secured to the pedestal until and the conductors are trained with an xe2x80x9csxe2x80x9d loop before terminating to the upper portion mounted device.
As noted above, the pedestals are provided with NEMA dimensionsxe2x80x94(National Electrical Manufacturers Association) that will fit available power and communication devices, plus xe2x80x9cwet locationxe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9cin use wet locationxe2x80x9d protective covers. Cover plates provided with gaskets and threaded integral hubs can also be utilized to mount fixtures or photo cell controls without having to drill an additional mounting hole or holes.
Pedestals can be provided with an offset, according to one embodiment of the present invention, as needed to facilitate installing them under pavement grading, brick paving, or walkways so as to avoid interfering with the root ball of a tree, or other landscape type bush roots or shrub roots, while providing for a placement of a receptacle or lighting unit at the base of the tree, shrub, or bush, and be out of the way of foot traffic and not be a trip hazard.
The pedestals have a cross sectional area of 2xc2xd inches by 5 inches and a height from 30 to 56 inches. They are constructed of painted steel or stainless steel, and there are removable covers provided on the front side as noted above to give adequate room for anchoring, cables, installation, and raceway placement. The device opening; i.e., the rectangular opening in the upper portion, receives two gang or single gang devices with vertical or horizontal openings. When the devices are mounted, or raceways are extended from the top, Meyer""s Hubs, sealing locknuts, or sealing washers, are used. The pedestals are installed so that they extend 24 inches below grade level, and the top portions of the pedestals extend a minimum of 6 inches above grade. The longer pedestals are used to extend higher above grade level.
These pedestals, as disclosed, have already been improved by Underwriters Laboratories(UL).
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description.